Automatic coupling



No. '752,759'. PATENTED PB.' 1904. J'. L. GRISLER.

AUTO MATIG COUPLIN G.

APILIOATION FILED JULY 14, 1903.

NG MODEL.

I l #Z7 A9 1 Vl JCSEPH L. CRISLER,

Patented February 23, 1904.

OF PERTH, KANSAS.

AuTomA-rlo coUPlilNe. y

SPECIFICATION `forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,759, dated February 23, 1904. Application led July14, 1903. Serial No. 165,483. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. CRISLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Perth, in the county of Sumner and State of Kansas, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Coupler, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to automatic couplers for cars, engines, tenders, and the like, the object in view being to provide a cheap, simple, and reliable coupler which operates automatically to couple cars and the liketogether and which upon the movement of a-cam-lever acts to automatically release or uncouple the cars. The parts of the coupler are so arranged that when a link is engaged. by the coupler the jaws of the coupler are held locked, so as to prevent any liability of the jaws moving apart and the cars becoming accidentally uncoupled.

With the above general objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a planvview of a coupler constructed in accord'- ance with the present invention, the coupler being shown open and ready to receive and be acted upon by link or pin. Fig. is a similar view with the `upper portion or plate of the coupler removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal section through the coupler. Fig.'4 is a reduced sectional plan view showing a pair of couplers connected by a link. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the spring-washer.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The coupler contemplated in this invention is applicable to any kind of draw-bar used in connection with a locomotive, traction-engine, tender, or cars and comprises, essentially, a head composed of an upper portion or side 1 and a lower portion or side 2, the same being suitably connected to form a draw-head. For convenience and accessibility for repairs the parts 1 and 2 may be formed in separate pieces and bolted or riveted together, as shown in the drawings, sufficient space being left between said parts for the interposition of the Working parts of the coupler, hereinafter described. Y

At the forward or projecting end the head is provided with a link-receiving slot 3, and at opposite sides the coupler embodies swinging jaws 4,` which are pivotally mounted at 5 intermediate their ends. The pivots 5 preferably consist of pins or bolts which are shouldered, as shown at 6, to prevent the parts 1 and 2 from being drawn sufficiently close together to bind upon and interfere with the operation of the movable parts of the coupler.

Each jaw 4 is provided with a beveled or chamfered outer end, as shown at 7 for the purpose of guiding the coupling-link Sinto therecess 3, and near the outer end each jaw is provided with a segmental recess 9, so as to establish a hook 10, which engages the link 8 and prevents accidental withdrawal of the link by forcing the jaws apart. The oppositely-arranged hooks 10, however, are beveled sufficiently to enable the link to force theA outer ends of the jaws apart when the inner ends thereof are released in the manner hereinafter described.

Both of the jaws are provided with heel end extensions 11, which project in rear of the pivots 5 and are acted upon by a cam-lever 12, which is pivotally mounted at 13 intermediate its ends and which is provided at opposite sides of the pivot with rounded or cam surfaces 14 and 15, which coperate with the extensions 11 of the jaws to force said eX- tensions apart, and thereby close the hooked forward ends of the jaws in engagement with the link. The cam-lever 12 is also provided with a V-shaped notch 15', adapted to receive and be acted upon by the inner end of a reciprocatory plunger 16, which is movable lengthwise of the draw-head and is adapted to be thrust inward by the link 8 coming in contact therewith, as indicated in Fig. 2. The plunger 16 lies between the jaws 4 and is provided with a slot 17, which receives a guidepin 18, said pin serving to keep the plunger right angles to the extensions 11, the cam-lever then acting to hold the extensions 11 apart and lock the jaws 4 in engagement with the coupling-link.

The movement of the cam-lever 12 is limited by means of a lever extension 19, which comes in contact with the extremity of one of the extensions 11, as shown in Fig. 4:, thus holding the partsl locked. The movement of the cam-lever in the opposite direction is limited by means of a shoulder 2O on the shank on the bar of the vdraw-head. A chain or other suitable connection 21 is attached to the extremity of the lever 19 for the `purpose of rocking said lever to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby releasing the jaws and allowing them to move apart under'the drawing action of the link for the purpose of uncoupling the cars.

In order to prevent the accidental swinging or displacement of the cam-lever 12, a springwasher 22 is placed at one side of said lever, as shown in Fig. 3, said washer pressing the cam-lever into frictional engagement with the draw-head, and thereby overcoming any tendency of the cam-lever to move out of engagement with the jaws by reason of the jarring or jolting of the cars.

While the invention hereinabove described is especially adapted for traction-engines and tenders, it will be apparent that the invention -is equally applicable to cars of all kinds and also that various changes may be made in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An automatic coupler comprising oppositely arranged jaws pivoted intermediate their ends at opposite sides of the center of the coupler-head and havinglink-engaging hooks, a cam-lever adapted to close the jaws and lock the same closed, and a link-actuated plunger working between the pivots of the jaws for throwing said cam-lever intoengage- -rrient with the jaws.

2 An automatic coupler comprising oppositely-arranged pivoted jaws having link-en- "gaging hooks and heel extensions, a cam-lever coperating N with the heel extensions and adapted to force and hold the same apart, and a link-actuated plunger operating on the cammoving the same into engagement with the heel extensions of the jaws.

3. An automatic coupler comprising oppositely-.arranged pivoted jaws having link-engaging hooks and heel extensions, a cam-lever coperating with said heel extensions and adapted to hold the same apart, said lever be- -ing provided with a notch, and a link-actuated plunger engaging the notch of the camlever for throwing said lever into locked engagement with the heel extensions of the jaw.

4. An automatic coupler comprising oppositely-arranged pivoted jaws having link-engaging hooks and heel extensions, a cam-lever operating between the heel extensions of the jaw, a link-actuated plunger for throwing the cam-lever in one direction, and an operating connection attached to the cam-lever for throwing the latter in the opposite direction.

5. An automatic coupler comprising oppositely-arranged pivoted jaws having link-engaging hooks and heel extensions, a cam-.lever coperating with the heel extensions for locking the same apart, an arm on said camlever adapted to coperate with one of the jaws for limiting the movement of the camlever in one direction, a liexible operating connection attached to said arm, and a link-actuated plungerarranged between the jaws and adapted to throw the cam-lever.

6. An automatic coupler comprising oppositely-arranged pivoted jaws, a cam-lever for throwing the jaws and locking the same, a link-actuated plunger for throwing the camlever, and a spring-washer coperating with the cam-lever for preventing accidental movement of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH L. CRISLER.

Witnesses:

D. R. SxAGGs, I. R. CRIsLER.

lever at one side of the pivot of said lever for 

